Hartford Courant

West Hartford Budget Debate More Civil This Year

By DANIEL P. JONES

Courant Staff Writer

April 4, 2008

The tone of this year's budget debate was more civil than last year's, but the split between opponents and supporters of the town's spending plans was as obvious as ever Thursday during a budget hearing.

"Given the current economics of inflation, this year's proposed increase is impressively modest," said Paige Kenausis, a Boulevard resident who was among those urging the town council to support the proposed $215 million budget.

"Thoughtful voters," Kenausis said, "will realize that and will thank you for safeguarding our efficient town services, recreational facilities, impressive library system, beautifully maintained public spaces and dynamic schools."

George Kennedy, a Waterside Lane resident who spoke against the proposal and called on the council to freeze hiring and start an independent budget audit, had a totally different view. He said that although spending and taxes are rising, the quality of West Hartford's schools is declining.

"You need to get to the heart of the problem, and you are not doing that," he said. "You owe it to the children and all of the taxpayers of the town. But no matter — increased costs coupled with declining results — are these to be the benchmarks of 'the new West Hartford?' So be it."

Kennedy said during the hearing that the West Hartford Taxpayers Association would not call for a budget referendum, although association President Chris Torino said before the hearing that the group had not decided whether to seek one and that the decision would depend on the spending plan the council adopts.

"Both the [school board] and the town council had the opportunity to perform a rigorous due diligence, but instead you counted on a referendum to make your decisions — sorry," Kennedy said. "We will not put the town through the expense of a referendum. We will simply remind the town council that they were elected to represent all of the town's citizens, not just an insatiable few who continue to demand more and more."

Those were among the dueling perspectives offered by 42 residents who spoke at the hearing. Twenty-seven of them said they supported the proposed budget for 2008-09, and 15 residents said they opposed it. About 80 people attended the hearing, the second and final one before the council is expected to adopt a budget April 22.

Town Manager James Francis last month presented a $215.8 million budget, which called for a 6.9 percent spending increase. That overall education, municipal and capital budget would increase spending about $14 million, up from the current 2007-08 budget of about $201.7 million.

But the board of education Tuesday adopted a budget that trimmed its proposed spending increase from 6.53 to 6.42 percent. And in adopting its budget, the school board proposed returning a projected $500,000 in surplus funds from the current 2007-08 budget rather than using it to prepay for items in the next school budget. Town officials say this is the first time the school board has made such a move.

Critics of the budget said the property tax increase is too high; supporters said the investment, especially in the schools, is worth it to maintain services.

The town will enter the second year of a five-year phase-in of the effect of a 2006 revaluation, which showed a shift of part of the property tax burden from commercial to residential property owners. In the current budget, the first year of the phase-in, tax bills reflected 25 percent of the revaluation change. The next budget will apply 25 percent of the remaining 75 percent of the effect; the result will be that each homeowner's property tax increase will be different, according to Francis. Homeowners can compare their property tax bills under the current budget with an estimate under the proposed budget on the town's website at: www.westhartford.org/taxestimator/index.aspx.

"We support the budget, but we do so after examining it in detail," said Mary Fleischli, a Brunswick Avenue resident and president of a group called West Hartford First. She said she did not see unnecessary spending in the budget.

Chad Thompson, an Ahern Street resident who opposed the budget, said the town manager inflated the budget so the council could reduce it and say it is acting responsibly. "We as taxpayers deserve better," he said.

"Is it possible to have a year with no spending increase?" he asked.